Package for square and round sliced products



3,415,663 PACKAGE FOR SQUARE AND ROUND SLICED PRODUCTS Filfid Feb. 27, 1967 Dec. 10, 1968 RASCHKE ET AL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RM W4 mm 6 a wm N N M R I FC 0 C. T 7

RN 7 EH A mw Dec. 10, 1968 RASCHKE ET AL 3,415,663

PACKAGE FOR SQUARE AND ROUND SLICED PRODUCTS Filed Feb. 27, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ROBERT M. RA SCH/(E (JOHN c. FIELD A7'7'0RNEY 3,415,663 PACKAGE FOR SQUARE AND ROUND SLICED PRODUCTS Robert M. Raschke, 8326 S. Kolin, Chicago, II]. 60652, and John C. Field, 187 Lester Road, Park Forest, Ill. 60466 Filed Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,866 Claims. (Cl. 99-174) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a package for holding stacks of square or round sliced products such as luncheon meat and the like. The package comprises a base upon which the stack rests and a wall joined to the base and generally perpendicular thereto. The wall is adapted to abut against the four corners of the square product or be in close spaced relationship thereto, and curve outwardly between each pair of corners to accommodate and abut against the circular product or be in close spaced relationship thereto at a portion intermediate of each pair of corners. A cover is provided on top of the wall for opening and closing the package.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In packaging stacks of square or round sliced products such as luncheon 'meat and the like, the shape of the package has generally been designed to conform to the shape of the product. Thus, square cuts of luncheon meat are usually packaged in square shaped packages and circular cuts of luncheon meat are usually packaged in circular shaped packages. Furthermore, square and round cuts of luncheon meat cannot be packaged together because of this practice to conform the package to the product.

These limitations have required the separate design and manufacture of packages for round and of packages for square sliced product.

A further disadvantage with packages of this type is that it is usually diflicult to'extract the luncheon meat unless the package is torn free of the meat. This of course, makes it difiicult to reseal the package and will permit the meat to become dried'out and pick up objectional refrigerator odors and tastes when stored in the refrigerator after being opened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce a package for holding stacks of either square or round sliced products.

A further object of the invention is to produce a package for holding stacks containing both square and round sliced products.

Another object is to produce a package that will permit easy access to the product without having to destroy any part of the package and thus permit the package to be satisfactorily resealed over the product.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the application proceeds.

The package of the instant invention generally cornprises a base upon which the stack rests, a wall perpendicularly joined to the base and adapted to abut against the four corners of the square cuts of product and to curve outwardly between each pair of the abutting corners to accommodate and abut against the circular product at a portion intermediate of each pair of abutting corners, and a cover on top of the wall for opening and closing the package.

United States Patent 0 3,415,663 Patented Dec. 10, 1968 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more specifically described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the package.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the package shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the package and of a cover suspended above to show a stack of round slices of product held by the package.

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of the cover shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is bottom view of the cover shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the package of the instant invention is generally comprised of a base 10 and a wall 12 perpendicularly joined thereto. The configuration of the circumference of the base 10 is the same as that of the wall 12.

The wall 12 at its inside surface 14 has a circumferential configuration as illustrated in FIG. 1 which is adapted to abut against the four corners of the square sliced product and curve outwardly between each pair of abutting corners to accommodate and abut against the circular sliced product at a portion intermediate of each pair of abut-ting corners. The package will thus be able to hold a stack of either round or square sliced product or a stack of both and the configuration of the wall 12 will keep the slices in alignment and prevent any slippage within the stack or of the stack itself. It is not necessary, however, that the wall abuts against the corners of the square product or against the edge of the circular product so long as the wall is in close spaced relationship thereto to prevent any undue slippage.

The wall 12 is also provided with a flange 16 for receiving a cover 18. The cover 18 may be sealed to the flange 16 by any of the conventional techniques of the art and if the product to be held by the package is a food, such as luncheon meat, the seal would be made hermetic.

The cover 18 is provided with a plurality of finger gripping plugs 20 depending into the package and against the edges of the product for easy removal of the cover and to assist the Wall in keeping the slices in alignment and in preventing any slippage within the stack or of the stack itself.

The invention, however, is not limited to this particular cover 18 and flange 16 arrangement but comprehends any suitable means for covering or sealing the package.

The package of the instant invention lends itself par ticularly well to being molded from a clear plastic which is the preferred material and method of fabrication. Other suitable materials, however, may be used. This plastic molding operation also makes it convenient to have a base with the same circumferential configuration as the wall. However, the invention is not limited to this particular shaped base but comprehends a base of any suitable size or shape.

By reason of the aforesaid material and method of fabrication, the wall may not be truly perpendicular to the base but may be slightly more or less than degrees to allow for ease of separation between the wall and the mold. Thus a wall which is generally perpendicular is also within the scope of the invention.

Similarly, while the embodiment of the invention chosen herein for purposes of the disclosure is considered to be preferred, the invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the disclosed embodiment which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A package for holding a stack of square and/or round slices of product, said package comprising: a base upon which said stack rests; a Wall joined to said base and generally perpendicular thereto, said wall having four corners adapted to abut against the four corners of said square product and curve outwardly between each of said corners to accommodate and abut against said circular product at a portion intermediate each pair of said corners to keep the slices in alignment and prevent any slippage of the slices within the stack or of the stack itself; and a cover on top of said Wall for opening and closing the package.

2. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wall is in close spaced relationship to the four corners of said product and to said circular product at a portion intermediate of each pair of corners to prevent any undue slippage of the slices or of the stack.

3. A package as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gen- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 432,722 7/1890 Brecleen 217-7 1,246,265 11/1917 Hendler 220-17 1,967,794 7/1934 Wagner 220-21 2,302,850 11/1942 Funke 20652 3,247,643 4/1966 Bartelt 206-46 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 206-46; 220-42 

